THE ADVANTAGES OF THE NEW TIME-TABLE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1895, 28 August 1884, Page 3

THE ADVANTAGES OF THE NEW TIME-TABLE.

TO THU EDITOR. Sir,— A considerable portion of Mr Ellis ♦'Baptism of fire" seems to ha\e got into his temper. And what is more un fortunate, success, as in the c.ise of tiie illustrious oiiginator of that famous say' ing, seems to have burned up his comiT.on sense, and rendered him oblivious to facts that ought to be patent to his understanding. It says much for the editoiial forbearance that the "baptism ' referred to was not administered through the medium of the office grate, after a period of snug repose— in the editoiical waste paper basket. The vastly ironical allusion to the "would-be hub of Waikato," and the triumphant " cock-a-doodle-do " which closes Mr Ellis letter may be veiy good substitutes for argument in the mind of that gentleman, but I veiy much doubt if they will be so in the minds of those with whom the regulation of the time-table will rest. Mr lfllis' description of the Auckland merchant as &o dilatory a creature that he can by no possibility make any use of the two houis that will intervene between the ordinary hour of business and the departure of the train may bo true, but it is certainly op posed to my experience, which convinces me that those two hours will be a boon to many hundreds of people in the cour»e of the year. Undei the present arrangement ,an up-country settler wishing to meet a friend, to consult a doctor, to sign a ( deed, or do any of the thousand and one j things for which a brief personal presence in Auckland is necessary, is foiced into the loss of time and extia expense of a day and two nights iv town, which •would ba obviated under the new table. Mr Ellis must have overlooked an important aspect of the case, which to him, as a business man, should have been pat ticularly evident. Under the new arrangement ho can wire for any urgently-needed article, and receive it by mail the same day, or he can wire to a correspondent and receive a full reply by mail the same day. The advantage to up-country people having business at intermediate stations is eyen more marked, and would of itself outway the inconvenience, which I think has been rather over-driven, which would be the caused to a few settlers by reaching their homes a couple of hours later. It would be a positive waste of valuable space to go on piling up instances of the benefit of the new table. They are bo many and so obvious as to convince me that Mr Ellis and those acting with him have taken their stand without giving the subject merited consideration, and that had the new table been three months in operation we should have Mr Ellis and many others of its rabid enemies amongst its most ardent supporters. — I have &c, Deltonian. Ngaruawahia, August 26th.

Within the past few weeks the political outlook in British affairs has undergone a decided change in favour of Gladstone's Cabinet, and the present indications are that the popular enthusiasm excited by the Franchise Bill •will suffice to tide them over their difficulties. Gladstone's policy in regard to Egyptian affairs, which was the Government's weak spot, does not seem to occupy the public mind as much as it did. The Tory opposition to the Franchise Bill has driven it into the background, and besides affairs in the Soudan, for the time being, at least, present a much healthier appearance. A more extended conflict with the House of Lords, over the Franchise Bill, is, unless the signs of the times are deceptive, likely to result in giving the Government a, new lease of power and a practical invitation to continue placing liberal principles, embodied in reform measures, upon the Statute book.